1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method of packing a batch of image-receiving material, more particularly paper or transparent plastic, in a container suitable for storing and transporting the material. The batch comprises a number of stacked, substantially identical sheets of the image-receiving material, each sheet having a number of edges, wherein the corresponding edges of the different sheets substantially coincide with one another. The present invention also relates to a batch of image-receiving material enclosed by a container.
2. Related Art
For storing and transporting purposes, it is known to pack in a stacked form image-receiving material, particularly paper and plastic film for use in a printer, copier or other image forming apparatus. In the known packaging systems, sheets of the image-receiving material are enclosed as a straight packet by a container, for example a cardboard box, the container being of the same shape as the stack of sheets. Thus, the inside dimensions of the container substantially correspond to the outside dimensions of the stack of image-receiving material. This method of packing has a number of significant disadvantages, particularly in the case of large formats of the sheets of receiving material, particularly the A1 format or larger. One very important disadvantage of this known method of packing is that there is a considerable risk of damage to the sheets of image-receiving material, not only while transporting the filled container but also during storage in storage accommodations. This is related to the fact that particularly with these large format image-receiving materials it is not possible to pack in a container stacks that are too high (i.e. too thick) because otherwise the weight of the container with the contents would be unacceptably heavy. It will be appreciated from the following that, as a result, the risk of damage to the sheets of image-receiving material is relatively considerable. On the one hand, large containers often extend out of the racks in storage accommodations so that they are easily damaged for example by fork lift trucks hitting the extended parts of the container. Next to that, large flat containers readily break open if they are incorrectly handled. During transportation, it has been found with these containers that the edges and particularly the corner points of the sheets are frequently damaged because a flat container of this kind readily and frequently distorts at its edges and corner points, for example because the container is dropped or collides with a solid wall (e.g. the walls of a van). Such damage can partly be obviated by making the container of a very rigid material, providing it with a double wall, reinforced corner points, a partial internal box, and the like. However, such containers are expensive to produce.
In addition to this disadvantage of damage, it is difficult to handle image-receiving materials packed in the known manner. Large flat containers are difficult to take hold of and lift. Another disadvantage of the known method of packing sheets of image-receiving material is that relatively considerable packing material is required. This not only increases the cost price of the packing but also means that the storage of the empty packages requires more space and there is considerable pollution to the environment because of the relatively large quantity of packing material required for one container.
A number of these problems can be obviated or at least reduced if a different method is used, which is known from the prior art. For example, it is known to roll up a batch of image-receiving material, particularly in the case of large formats, and pack it in a round container, for example a cardboard tube. This method of packing, however, also results in relatively considerable damage to the sheets. The reason for this is that the edges which are situated transversely to the roll-up direction are no longer straight as a result of the rolling up of the stack. Sheets at the outside of the rolled packet are of course bent over a larger diameter than sheets on the inside. The result of this fact that the sheets are no longer straight is that the outermost points of the rolled-up stack of sheets are extremely sensitive to damage. Even with this method of packing a relatively considerable number of the sheets becomes unusable due to transportation damage. In addition, it has been found that after a stack of paper, for example, has been unpacked and unrolled, the oblique edges of the stack remain in that position. Before a stack of this kind can be processed further, for example by placing it in a printer, the oblique edges must be straightened. This is frequently done by knocking the same, and this also entails a risk of damage, particularly to the outermost sheets. Another disadvantage of this method of packing is that it is not easy to handle round elongate containers. Palletising takes considerable time and often requires bundling with, for example, strapping, and this is again a disadvantage in the unloading of a pallet. Also, the round containers take up considerable space when stored as empty packing, because they cannot be folded flat. The round containers are also environmentally unfriendly, because the openings are frequently closed with plastic lids. These lids are frequently unsuitable for re-use because they are stapled to the edge of the container and are damaged when removed. Also, opening of a container of this kind entails inconvenience (removal of staples) and the existence of residual material (lids, staples, bulky containers). Finally, round containers are relatively expensive because they must be made from a relatively rigid material.